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Depth Concerns At Tackle

As D’Brickashaw Ferguson prepares to enter his ninth season at LT for the Jets, new arrival Breno Giacomini is settling in on the right side. The Jets brought in Giacomini from the defending world champion Seattle Seahawks to replace the departed Austin Howard, who was lured away from the Jets with a 5-year $30 millon dollar contract by the Oakland Raiders.

Bringing in Giacomini has been largely referred to as a “lateral” move from Howard as many claim that the difference between the two is minimal, but Howard has been the more durable player with Giacomini missing seven games last season due to injury.

For all the criticism aimed at the Jets front office for failing to build a roster with quality depth at the CB position, the same could be said for their approach at the tackle position. Outside of Ferguson and Giacomini, the Jets’ depth chart at the tackle position is thin to say the least. Here’s a look at what the Jets have behind Ferguson and Giacomini:

Bruce Campbell- Campbell was signed by the Jets when LB Jermaine Cunningham was placed on IR. A fourth year OT out of Maryland who was drafted by the Raiders in the fourth round of the 2010 draft. Despite having never started an NFL game, Campbell instantly becomes the Jets’ most experienced back-up having appeared in 19 games with the Raiders and Panthers. Campbell was cut loose by the Redskins after failing his physical when the Jets brought him in to camp.

Ben Ijalana- Ijalana is a player who was highly regarded coming out of college but who hasn’t seen the field much since coming in to the league. Selected 49th overall by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2011 draft, Ijalana suffered with durability issues. The big tackle tore his ACL after appearing in four games as a rookie with the Colts, and then suffered the same injury just a few weeks after being cleared to play during the following season. The Jets claimed Ijalana off waivers in September of 2013. Despite being injured for the majority of his career, Pro Football Focus had this to say about Ijalana before he signed with the Jets.

Pro Football Focus did grade Ijalana as a top-15 tackle during the 2013 preseason, excelling as both a run and pass blocker and playing left tackle. Ijalana can also play guard. He’s worth a shot.

Markus Zusevics- Signed by the Jets along with LB AJ Edds following rookie minicamp in May, Zusevics has yet to garner any playing time and spent a year on IR with the New England Patriots after tearing a pectoral muscle during the NFL combine on the bench press.

Brent Qvale- A rookie out of Nebraska, Qvale is said to have limited quickness to handle speed-rushers and may even end up on the inside if he somehow manages to stick with the Jets or any other team. In all reality, Qvale is unlikely to make the final 53.

While this is a short list that probably doesn’t inspire much confidence in Jets fans if either their starting offensive tackles were to miss significant time, it’s worth mentioning that RG Willie Colon could fill in at RT in a pinch having played the position with the Pittsburgh Steelers. So while fans and media alike have been critical for how the Jets have handled their secondary, they could be one injury away from being in even worse shape on the offensive line. Be it through free agency or the draft, it’s fair to say that GM John Idzik will have to address the depth at offensive tackle next off-season.

From the sound of things, even going back to last year when they first scooped him up, it seems like the team really likes Ijalana and is counting on him to be their primary backup at either spot. The big question there of course is a matter of health concerns more than anything, so we'll see that how works out. That said, OL is probably one of the positions I'd be least surprised to see the Jets scouring for veterans on the waiver wire at the end of camp. It's one place there tends to be a couple of respectable options shake free, at least in terms of depth.

This isn't all that great. Even if they like Ijalana, there's neither a backup with any in-game experience or high-pick pedigree on the roster. Doesn't have to be an expensive guy.

I don't know. Maybe we're just seeing who gets shaken loose on final cutdowns, figuring there may be at least one guy in there that is better than what's still available in FA.

Bryant McKinnie needs the money. He also may be 390 lbs for all I know. I guess there will always be lousy veteran tackles available whose main attribute is having past starting experience. Pashos, Levi, Brown, Locklear, Trueblood, Svitek, and whoever gets cut in favor of younger guys who start to look serviceable by the end of the month. Won't help mid-game if Ferguson or Giacomini go down, but they'll be available for the next game if we're that desperate.

This isn't all that great. Even if they like Ijalana, there's neither a backup with any in-game experience or high-pick pedigree on the roster. Doesn't have to be an expensive guy.

I don't know. Maybe we're just seeing who gets shaken loose on final cutdowns, figuring there may be at least one guy in there that is better than what's still available in FA.

Bryant McKinnie needs the money. He also may be 390 lbs for all I know. I guess there will always be lousy veteran tackles available whose main attribute is having past starting experience. Pashos, Levi, Brown, Locklear, Trueblood, Svitek, and whoever gets cut in favor of younger guys who start to look serviceable by the end of the month. Won't help mid-game if Ferguson or Giacomini go down, but they'll be available for the next game if we're that desperate.

This is what I was hoping. Even with a bunch of guys who played OT in college, the Jets have moved them to OG for a reason. Although I did see Aboushi got a bit of work at RT against Cincy.

JMO Ijalana looked pretty good against the Bengals. He and Dozier threw key blocks on Gates' screen TD. But he's probably behind Aboushi, who appears to be the next man in at all positions except center. (Vlad held that role last season)

as for McKinnie he's the type of player that a team will sign if their starter goes down (for example ATL maybe wanting to replace Sam Baker). He's not going to sign as a depth guy. He's a stop gap type. He's also somewhat of a cancer and making a deal with him is not going to do your team any long term favors.

The Jets under IDzik are so cheap they don't even want to pay vet min for a guy like McKinnie. So forget it.

In general the idea of backup tackles are kinda moot, most teams don't have great veteran backups. They just hope the starters never get hurt.

Here is a good place to point out Dbrick hasn't missed a single game since he was drafted in 2006. Something like 125 games straight.

JMO Ijalana looked pretty good against the Bengals. He and Dozier threw key blocks on Gates' screen TD

as for McKinnie he's the type of player that a team will sign if their starter goes down (for example ATL maybe wanting to replace Sam Baker). He's not going to sign as a depth guy. He's a stop gap type.

In general the idea of backup tackles are kinda moot, most teams don't have great veteran backups. They just hope the starters never get hurt.

Here is a good place to point out Dbrick hasn't missed a single game since he was drafted in 2006. Something like 125 games straight.

I almost said it, but thought it would be a pretty bad place to mention it since I would undoubtedly be blamed for any injury he may suffer this season.

I almost said it, but thought it would be a pretty bad place to mention it since I would undoubtedly be blamed for any injury he may suffer this season.

jinx

thanks

Bit is used to that.

I agree with Bit that they do not necessarily want a guy with experience to sit behind the starters. They want to develop young players. Campbell has some experience. He went in the 4th round, but Kiper and some others supposedily graded him top 10. Ijalana was a top 50 pick for the Colts. They just could not wait around for him to get healthy.